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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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APOL6
apolipoprotein L6
Chromosome 22 · 22q12.3
NCBI Gene: 80830Ensembl: ENSG00000221963.7HGNC: HGNC:14870UniProt: B3KTP4
26PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Transporter
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingnucleoplasmnuclear bodylipid bindingovarian neoplasmneoplasmcancerbladder transitional cell carcinoma
✦AI Summary

APOL6 (apolipoprotein L6) is a BH3-only pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family that regulates cell death pathways and immune responses. The protein functions as a mitochondria-mediated apoptosis inducer, releasing cytochrome c and activating caspases-8 and -9 in cancer cells 1. APOL6 operates through multiple mechanisms including binding to anti-apoptotic Bcl-XL proteins, promoting reactive oxygen species generation, and blocking Beclin 1-dependent autophagy 2. The protein is regulated by STAT1 and interacts with ACSL4 to mediate ferroptosis, an immunogenic form of cell death 3. In disease contexts, APOL6 shows significant clinical relevance as a biomarker for cancer immunotherapy efficacy. High APOL6 expression correlates with improved response rates and prolonged survival in multiple tumor immunotherapy cohorts, particularly through induction of immunogenic cell death that enhances antitumor immunity 4. The protein demonstrates diagnostic and prognostic value in hepatocellular carcinoma and serves as a predictor of immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy in bladder cancer and other malignancies 53. APOL6 expression is associated with immune cell infiltration and chemosensitivity, making it a promising therapeutic target for optimizing cancer immunotherapy 6.

Sources cited
1
APOL6 is a BH3-only pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member that induces mitochondria-mediated apoptosis through cytochrome c release and caspase activation
PMID: 15671246
2
APOL6 binds Bcl-XL, promotes ROS generation, and blocks Beclin 1-dependent autophagy in atherosclerotic cells
PMID: 21646352
3
APOL6 is regulated by STAT1 and interacts with ACSL4 to mediate ferroptosis in bladder cancer
PMID: 39187773
4
High APOL6 expression correlates with improved immunotherapy response rates and survival through immunogenic cell death induction
PMID: 36979348
5
APOL6 serves as diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma
PMID: 38017264
6
APOL6 functions as a beneficial biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy across multiple cancer types
PMID: 40355224
Disease Associationsⓘ20
ovarian neoplasmOpen Targets
0.17Weak
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
bladder transitional cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
glaucomaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
chronic kidney diseaseOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
obesityOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
impaired renal function diseaseOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
Hyperlipoproteinemia type 1Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
anemia (phenotype)Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiencyOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
lipodystrophy, familial partial, type 8Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
anemiaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
lipodystrophy, congenital generalized, type 5Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
congenital generalized lipodystrophy type 3Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
Generalized congenital lipodystrophy with myopathyOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
microcephaly-congenital cataract-psoriasiform dermatitis syndromeOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
LIPE-related familial partial lipodystrophyOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
kidney diseaseOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
secondary hyperparathyroidism of renal originOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
APOL4Shared pathway67%APOL5Shared pathway67%APOL3Shared pathway50%ABCA10Shared pathway50%ABCA9Shared pathway50%ABCA6Shared pathway50%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
100%
Bone Marrow
79%
Lung
48%
Ovary
29%
Heart
25%
Brain
19%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
APOL6APOL4APOL5APOL3ABCA10ABCA9ABCA6
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q9BWW8
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.66LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.16Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.60 [0.24–1.66]
RankingsWhere APOL6 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #12,735of 20,598
    Most Researched26
  • #15,933of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.66
Genes detectedAPOL6
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Upregulation of Apolipoprotein L6 Improves Tumor Immunotherapy by Inducing Immunogenic Cell Death.
PMID: 36979348
Biomolecules · 2023
1.00
2
Identification and validation of candidate clinical signatures of apolipoprotein L isoforms in hepatocellular carcinoma.
PMID: 38017264
Sci Rep · 2023
0.90
3
Role of necroptosis-related genes in immune activity and prognosis of colorectal cancer.
PMID: 40959081
Front Immunol · 2025
0.80
4
Apolipoprotein L6, induced in atherosclerotic lesions, promotes apoptosis and blocks Beclin 1-dependent autophagy in atherosclerotic cells.
PMID: 21646352
J Biol Chem · 2011
0.70
5
Apolipoprotein l6, a novel proapoptotic Bcl-2 homology 3-only protein, induces mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in cancer cells.
PMID: 15671246
Mol Cancer Res · 2005
0.60